Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: Fresh Predictions After the Super Bowl

They say the saddest day of the year always comes on the third Monday in January. It’s supposedly due to prolonged winter darkness, Christmas bills and travel issues.

Guess the people behind this study failed to talk to any football fan on the Monday after the Super Bowl. Once the fourth quarter ends and the confetti starts to fall, fans begin realize that the next NFL game isn’t for another seven months.

Last week I released a short two-round mock draft for the Cowboys. They are deficient on the offensive and defensive line as well as the secondary, so should Dallas go after a guard or defensive tackle in the first round?

Round 1, 18th Pick: Jonathan Cooper, G, UNC

I’m sticking with Cooper in the first round for the Cowboys. There are issues on the other side of the ball with Jay Ratliff and Josh Brent possibly playing elsewhere in 2013, or even at all, but the Cowboys need to do everything in their power to protect Tony Romo.

When pressure was brought up the middle and directly in Romo’s face, he folded like a suit from K-Mart.

Drafting Cooper to bring stability and strength to the middle of the line will pay dividends for Dallas immediately and in the future.

Cooper, and current left tackle Tyron Smith, will be with the Cowboys long after Romo is gone. Why not draft a guy who has the potential to become a pretty good NFL guard right now?

Round 2, 15th Pick: Tony Jefferson, S, Oklahoma

I’ve switched my position on this pick a few times, but I’ve landed with former Oklahoma safety Tony Jefferson for the moment.

I like Eric Reid out of LSU, yet his coverage skills still leave a lot to be desired. I picked Bacarri Rambo out of Georgia in my last mock, but that was due to Kenny Vaccaro and Reid possibly being off the board.

Because I’ve changed my mind a few times here, this is to change again after the combine and before draft day.

According to Bleacher Report’s draft guru Matt Miller, Jefferson has the range and cover skills to “shut down the spread.” I’m not as sold on Jefferson’s ability to do that, but I believe he has the potential.

He is one of the top free safeties available and has better motion than Rambo.

I like Jefferson, and the Cowboys would be well served to keep him high on their list.

Round 5, 18th Pick: Ray Graham, RB, Pittsburgh

Graham’s injury history may keep the Cowboys away from him. Though the team selected two linebackers in consecutive years with knee issues, it doesn’t mean the Cowboys will do the same for a running back.

Graham suffered a torn ACL in his right knee back in 2011 that ended his season after the team’s eighth game. In 2010, he sprained his left knee and missed one game due to the injury.

But even with that type of news about his injury history, the Cowboys should take a chance on him. Backup running back Felix Jones is likely headed out the door, and the Cowboys aren’t fully sold on Phillip Tanner as a relief hitter, so Dallas will need another running back to give starter DeMarco Murray a break.

Graham’s vision doesn’t seem to be as good as Murray’s, but he has excellent patience and agility at the line.

Overall, Graham is small, as he’s 5’9” but only weighs 186 pounds. He’ll need to bulk up some, just not too much to where he loses his quickness.

Round 6, 17th Pick: Brandon McGee, CB, Miami

The Cowboys do not hold a pick in the seventh round, so their sixth-round pick is the last.

Dallas had injuries problems and issues with depth in the secondary in 2012, so adding another cornerback would seem to be smart.

McGee can be aggressive on the corner blitz and when attacking the ball, but I did see a few instances where he shied away from contact. He played a lot of "soft" corner against FSU, but that was probably due to the team's defensive scheme.

Overall, he is a good cover corner with decent ball skills. He seems to have a lot of potential at the next level and would be a nice addition to a light defensive backfield for the Cowboys.